The libraries’ partnership with Student Athletics is now approaching its 4th year. There are two parts to the collaboration: summer tours and orientation for the first year athletes and satellite reference service at the Athletic Study Halls.
Incoming freshman athletes always receive a tour of the library. Later in the summer, students receive a more in-depth orientation to the library website, databases, and services, followed by a database “scavenger hunt”/competition. In 2017, the library instruction session was folded into a larger series, Summer Bridge. The students rate the library workshop highly, and they enjoy the prizes/incentives awarded to winners.
During fall and spring semesters, librarians with a laptop have a “reference service” set up in the study hall. Kate Costin, Deborah Lilton, Ramona Romero, Rick Stringer-Hye, and Pam Morgan staffed the service. Athletic counselors “love” a librarian presence at the study halls, and the students like the support for assignments. More recently, directors and deans of other Southeastern Conference (SEC) libraries, have asked about the service Vanderbilt Libraries provide. The core of the partnership is fairly well established, but team members are exploring other opportunities to enhance the service.